Black Lawmaker On Asian Opponent: Don't Vote for That 'Ching-Chong'

Well, there’s nothing like Democratic Party blood sports. While the far left and the establishment wings of the party are at odds, it hasn’t really hamstrung Democrats’ overall chances in the 2018 midterms. They’re still in a position where they could retake the House. And then there are the other squabbles within the party that are just downright nasty. I mean the Sanders and Clinton wings probably can’t stand each other, but in local races, intra-party drama can turn even nastier. In Michigan, state Reps. Stephanie Chang and Bettie Cook Scott were running for the Democratic nomination for the state’s first senate district. Scott reportedly told her supporter to not vote for the “ching-chong.” Once again, you can say incredibly racist things…as long as you’re a Democrat. Oh, and Scott lost big. Barely breaking double-digits on primary day last week (viaDetroit Metro Times) [emphasis mine]

More than a dozen community groups have called on Rep. Bettie Cook Scott (D-Detroit) to apologize for a series of racial slurs sources say she used to describe her primary election opponent, Rep. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit).

Scott is alleged to have referred to Chang as "ching-chang" and "the ching-chong" to multiple voters outside polling precincts during last Tuesday's election. She's also said to have called one of Chang's campaign volunteers an “immigrant,” saying “you don’t belong here” and “I want you out of my country.”

Chang and Scott were running in the Democratic primary for state Sen. District 1. Chang won the election with 49 percent of the vote; Scott came in third with 11 percent of the vote.

"These comments are offensive to all Asian-Americans," Chang tells Metro Times. "It isn't about me. It's about an elected official disrespecting entire populations, whether they be Asian-American, immigrant, or residents of Sen. District 1 or [Cook's] own current house district."

The various off-color remarks were heard by multiple people connected with Chang, including Chang's husband, who spoke with Metro Times. Sean Gray says after overhearing Cook disparage Chang outside a precinct on the east side of Detroit, "I ... asked her not to speak about my wife in that manner. At that time she said to the voter that 'these immigrants from China are coming over and taking our community from us.' Further, she said it 'disgusts her seeing black people holding signs for these Asians and not supporting their own people.'"

This might be an isolated incident. It doesn’t matter; it’s wrong. It’s racially charged. It’s nonsensical. And pretty much antithetical to American values; you can stand with and support whomever you like. Is Cook saying these black voters who support Chang are…race traitors. Yet, given that the media has devoted so much time to loser white nationalists, who were able to suck up so much media attention, despite around 30 people showing up for the Unite The Right rally in D.C. last weekend. This is total loserdom, but by how the liberal news media portrays them—you’d think a third party was emerging. It’s not. These so-called white nationalists are trash who are and shall remain in the basement of American politics. At least notice the instances, where a Democrat says something that’s arguably worse than anything Trump has ever said. These are your rules, liberal media.

Cooks did eventually apologize for her awful remarks (via Detroit News):

State Rep. Bettie Cook Scott apologized in a statement issued Thursday after liberal advocacy group Progress Michigan revealed this week that Scott referred to state Rep. Stephanie Chang as a “ching-chong” and told voters at precincts during the Aug. 7 primary that she was disgusted “seeing Black people holding signs for these Asians and not supporting their own people."

Scott and Chang, both from Detroit, were two of six Democratic candidates running for state Senate District 1. Chang won the primary race with nearly 50 percent of the vote.

“Those are not the kinds of comments that should be made nor are they the kind of comments I would normally make,” Scott said in a statement issued through her lawyer Bill Noakes on Thursday. “I humbly apologize to Rep. Chang and to her husband, Mr. Gray, and to the broader Asian American community.

“We live in a time of increasing divisiveness,” she said. “As a state representative, I should never do anything to contribute to an atmosphere of divisiveness and for that, I am terribly sorry. I look forward to meeting with Rep. Chang to express my apologies directly to her as soon as she’s able to meet with me.”

More than a dozen community groups and the Michigan Democratic Party called for Scott to apologize after her statements became public this week.

Yeah, I would hope so; maybe your party could get faster on responding to allegations of domestic abuse. Looking at you, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN).